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Byelka, a 30-year old shaman squirrel, was visiting her father Endru at his cottage.

"Father, I have some exciting news,"

"You're pregnant again?" asked Endru.

"No, I'm not yet ready for a second child," said Byelka. "Mokus is enough for now," she said, referring to her 1-year old baby. Mokus was conceived by sleeping with another squirrel with the consent of her current lover, Trevor, a cheetahtaur, who understood that shaman squirrels must continue their line.

"I'm all ears," said Endru. "Tell me this exciting news."

"In my travels with Trevor, we found an amazing seaside cabin to settle and raise little Mokus. It's on the eastern shore of Pekara Sea."

"Pekara Sea is very far," said Endru. "Will you be seeing us again?"

"Of course," said Byelka.

"But you will be far from the healing orb," said Endru.

"Maybe I don't need to be close to it for a healing," said Byelka. "Let's go to it and see if it can grant use with distance."

Endru and Byelka went into the room where the orb was kept. Endru and Byelka put his hands on it. "Shaman Orb," said Endru. "Allow Byelka to heal when she is far from the source."

A purple mist of energy enveloped Byelka. "I think it's working!" Then the mist dissipated. "I feel the power now."

Byelka noticed a grim expression on Endru's face. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I have some sad news," said Endru. "Great Elder Redra is dying. I feel it in my shaman soul that any moment now, your grandfather Oaktooth should be knocking on our door to invite us to Redra's cottage to bid her final farewell."

"Aw, well, I knew she was getting very weak," said Byelka.

Meanwhile, in another cottage not too far from Endru's, Redra, the first Shaman Squirrel, was 141 years old and on her death bed. Her grandson Oaktooth was by her side, and had been caring for her for weeks, knowing that her time was very soon. As the oldest Shaman Squirrel, Redra held the title of Great Elder.

"Bring... the... others," Redra said in labored speech. Although the Shamans' healing orb was able to relieve pain, Redra felt it in her old, tired bones what was about to happen. Even the orb was not capable of preventing what happens to every creature inevitably.

"Yes, grandmother," said Oaktooth solemnly.

Redra's daughter Ashflower (aged 116), grandson Oaktooth (aged 78), great-grandson Endru (aged 54), and great-great granddaughter Byelka (aged 30) assembled into the room with Redra. In addition, Byelka was holding her 1-year old baby, Mokus.

Redra began to speak. Every movement of her weak tongue took considerable effort. "As... you... all know... it is... my time." There was a moment of silence, as if Redra was about to fall asleep. Then she spoke one last and final time. "Farewell... my... chil... dren." Then her eyes glazed over, and her head tilted onto the pillow. Oaktooth put his paw on her face to close her eyes one last time. He took the Great Elder headdress that Redra was wearing.

"Redra has joined the Nature Spirits," said Oaktooth, putting the Great Elder headdress on Ashflower. "You are now Great Elder, mother," said Oaktooth.

"I know I will not live as long as my mother did," said the newly appointed Great Elder Ashflower, with a tear. "My time to join the Nature Spirits is also very soon."

Byelka looked down at the baby she was holding, and felt mixed emotions. She was sad that Redra just passed away, but happy that at least Redra got to see her great-great- great grandson Mokus before she died.

The four adult shamans bowed their heads in respect for their newly deceased elder. Later that day, funeral arrangements were made. Redra was being buried next to her late husband Shilocc. The four of them paid their respects for Redra, and in addition, all the other beings who were friends, lovers, family members, and genetic contributors of each of the shamans. There were nearly 100 at the outdoor funeral, including various anthros, humans, and even some aliens. Many were creatures who had been healed by Redra. Oaktooth did the eulogy:

"Redra was not only a great squirrel. She was a loving, caring, and wise mother and leader to us all. She started the Shaman Squirrel traditions, passing them down from generation to generation. She first had the orb and taught Ashflower, my mother, how to use it. In turn, Ashflower taught me how to use it, and I taught Endru, my son, how to use it. And finally, Endru taught Byelka how to use it. Redra's legacy will be remembered and continued on this beautiful planet of Silvania for the many generations of Shaman Squirrels to come."

After Oaktooth was finished, Endru played 2 pieces of music on a cedar flute: a beautiful dirge, and also "Home on the Range," the very first song Shilocc and Redra sang together when they first met. There were tears in the eyes of most who were at the funeral.

The next day, Byelka and her mate Trevor were trying to console the creature who was hardest hit by Redra's death: Zara, the mammalian dragon. The large creature was laying down on the ground, her head on Redra's grave. Byelka and Trevor were petting her. "I'm concerned about Zara," said Byelka, a tear drenching her cheek fur. "She hasn't eaten since Redra's passing." Even the innocent nudging of Zara's half-grown daughter Noraxia did not do much for Zara.

"That bellowing sound she's been making," said Trevor. "That has to be the saddest sound I've ever heard." Trevor, a cheetahtaur, did not know Zara nearly as long as Byelka did, but he also felt the much needed sympathy.

"We have to do something," said Byelka. "Redra meant so much to Zara. They had a strong bond ever since Redra found and healed her when she was young."

Byelka convinced the other shamans to go to where Zara was. "I know with our orb we can heal physical pain," said Byelka. "But Zara's pain is emotional." The Shaman Squirrel orb had been used by all 5 Shaman Squirrels to heal illnesses and injuries, but it was incapable of healing emotions, including broken hearts.

"I believe we can heal that," said Endru. Ashflower, Oaktooth, Endru, and Byelka all approached Zara, who allowed them to put their paws on her.

Waves of empathy and compassion and understanding filled Zara's mind and body. Zara got up, smiling and nudging towards each of the shamans, as well as her daughter Noraxia. She was happy that her remaining Shaman Squirrels were with her.

"She looks like she's good as new," said Byelka. "And there was no purple mist."

"That means it wasn't the orb that healed her pain," said Endru, referring to the mist that is visible when a shaman healing is in progress. "It was our collective empathy. It was simply us being there for her."

"Yes," said Oaktooth. "Zara now accepts what has happened and is beginning to move on, recognizing our love."

"That's so sweet," said Byelka, hugging Zara.

**

One month later, Byelka, Trevor, and little Mokus had settled down in their new cabin by the seashore of Pekara Sea, a large inland sea landlocked except for a river that runs to the northern ocean. It is a vast sea, spanning 1,450 miles from east to west, and almost 2,000 miles from north to south. It contains several islands. However, even the vastness of the Pekara Sea pales in comparison to the size of the supercontinent Pansilva on which it resides.

Around the cabin was a landscape with many different pines, oaks, larches, and some alien trees that were within walking distance of the rocky shore.

Byelka was riding on Trevor's back along the beach of Pekara Sea watching the waves. Mokus was strapped securely to Trevor's back, in front of his mother Byelka. Trevor had four legs, true to the feral form of a cheetah, but in place of a cheetah's head was the torso of an anthro-cheetah. He had six limbs total. "Look over there, did you see that?" He pointed to something that looked like it was jumping out of the water.

"Yes, I do," said Byelka. "I think they're getting closer."

"What are they?" asked Trevor.

"I think they're dolphins," said Byelka. "Our neighbors are dolphins!"

"I've never heard of dolphins before," said Trevor. "When I was a slave, I never got the opportunity to learn about other creatures. But then you found me." As a former slave, Trevor lacked a good education. He was simple but not unintelligent.

"Aw, Trevor," said Byelka. "I'm very glad I did."

"Hey, look, some sort of walkway going into the water," said Trevor.

"That's a pier," said Byelka. "I don't know who built it, but we can certainly get a closer look at the dolphins."

Trevor slowly trotted on to the pier with Byelka and the baby. Gentle waves were crashing against the support beams of the pier. As they got closer to the end of the pier, the dolphins came closer to them. "They seem to be as curious about us as we are about them," said Trevor.

"I think you're right," said Byelka.

"Hello strangers!" one of the dolphins said, poking his head out of the water. "Welcome to our sea."

"They can talk?" asked Trevor.

"Why, yes," said Byelka. "Some dolphins have that capability. I didn't know the ones here on Silvania can, so I'm about as surprised as you are."

"Hee hee, of course we can talk!" said another dolphin.

"Well, I'm Byelka, and this is Trevor and our baby Mokus," said Byelka.

"Nice to meet you!" said the dolphin. "My name is," and he let out a dolphin sound that is unpronounceable to humanoid life forms.

"Nice to meet you," said Byelka, attempting to make the same sound to pronounce the dolphin's name.

"Now don't insult my mother, will you?" said the dolphin.

"Oh, sorry," said Byelka.

"Hey, that's okay," said the other dolphin. "You can call us whatever you want."

Byelka noticed a large gash on the dolphin's left flipper. "Oh, my," she said. "What happened there?"

"I had a fight with an aggressive sea creature," said the dolphin.

"Let's see if I can heal it," said Byelka. She remembered the mist that enveloped her shortly before Great Elder Redra died. A wave of empathy and the need to heal enveloped Byelka, and the purple mist shrouded the dolphin's wound. Within seconds, the wound was healed.

"Thank you!" said the dolphin. "You are an amazing, magical squirrel. We have to get going now."

The dolphins went back to swimming with their pod.

"That was interesting," said Trevor.

"Hey, look, it's evening now," said Byelka. "We can watch the sun set together out here on the pier."

The sun sent ripples of crimson and orange along the waves of Pekara Sea. Byelka dismounted Trevor, and Mokus was still securely strapped to his back. Byelka sat down, her legs straddling the edge of the pier. Trevor knelt down. Byelka and Trevor put their arms around each other's backs while the sun went down. "This is nice," said Trevor. "We should go out here more often."

"Yes, indeed," said Byelka. "It's so romantic." They started kissing.

When the sun was down, only twilight, stars, and the moons Mornius and Saxtus remained visible in the sky.

"Look at the sky," said Byelka. "Did you know we are just a speck on another speck within this unimaginably large cosmos?"

"I never really thought about it that way," said Trevor.

"It makes me feel very humble," said Byelka.